When: Monday, May 22nd from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Where: First floor, Community Room

This workshop brings students and parents together to start honest and open conversations about the emotionally-charged college application process. It is geared toward helping students find the best college (or college alternative) choices for their individual interests, aptitudes, and personalities. It is NOT a “how to sell your soul to the most competitive institution you can get into” seminar. Here are the topics we will cover:

Temperature check: We will assess how students are feeling at the moment and document accomplishments (there are more than you think!) and setbacks (we all have them!) to date.

On the same page? We will do an exercise to see if parents/students share similar visions and expectations for college and beyond. We’ll discuss the typical conflicts that arise during this period and how to get ahead of conflict triggers.

Identifying strengths and using them wisely We will discuss the “I haven’t done enough” myth and highlight ways to use your time and energy to focus on things that you actually care about. This will lead to our sample applicant exercise, where we demonstrate how to put together a cohesive application that helps you shine as yourself vs. trying to give colleges what you think they want.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker This exercise will help you figure out how to narrow down your list of schools using a range of variables (including proximity, school culture, academics, finances). Should you visit? Should you wait?  We’ll also discuss creative ideas for students who fall into the “I’m not ready for college” and “I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready for college” categories.

Next Steps We’ll put a manageable six-month plan in place that allows students to enjoy life, while adding valuable experiences to their applications. And we’ll set the stage for our follow-up essay planning workshop at the end of August.

About the presenter:

Carrie Firestone’s first job at sixteen was in the business office at the community college where her parents taught. She attended a small liberal arts college before receiving graduate degrees from both Ivy League and public universities. She taught high school in New York City, where she was college advisor to students from over thirty countries. Currently, Carrie works as a full-time author, and has published four young adult and middle grade books. Her latest project is about the college application process.

Carrie offers college essay planning workshops (free of charge) from the unique perspective of a writer. She has a daughter in college and a second daughter applying next year.